What Kinds of Animals & Birds Live in the Rainforest?

Written by elizabeth hannigan| 13/05/2017

Panther chameleons live in the rainforest in Madagascar. (chameleon image by FotoWorx from Fotolia.com)

A rainforest is a tall, thick tropical jungle that receives an average of 68 and 78 inches of rainfall every year. Rainforests cover only 6 per cent of the planet's surface but are home to more than half of the world's plant and animal species. The 30 million species of plants and animals that live in rainforests are all adapted to live in hot and humid climates.

Mammals

Bengal tigers live in tropical rainforests in Southern and Southeast Asia. (Bengal tiger image by kds from Fotolia.com)

Bengal tigers, capybaras, chimpanzees, gorillas, jaguars, lemurs, okapi, orang-utans and spider monkeys are all mammals that live in rainforests. Most of the larger rainforest mammals, such as gorillas and okapi, usually live on the forest floor. Smaller mammals, such as lemurs and sloths, are arboreal and live in the trees.

Reptiles

This green viper is arboreal. (green palm viper image by Reisbegeleider.com from Fotolia.com)

Rainforests are home to both ground-dwelling and arboreal reptiles. Anacondas, black caimans, boa constrictors, vipers and reticulated pythons all live in rainforests.

Amphibians

Don't kiss this frog; his poison is deadly. (grenouille bleu image by Greg from Fotolia.com)

Frogs are the most abundant amphibians in the rainforests; the Amazon alone boasts over 1,000 frog species. One of the most well-known types of frog in the rainforest is the colourful poison dart frog.

Arthropods

These leafcutter ants are hard at work on the rainforest floor. (Leafcutter Ants - The Lettuce image by Daniel Mortell from Fotolia.com)

Blue morpho butterflies, damselflies, rhinoceros beetles, grasshoppers and golden orb spiders are all rainforest species. Most of the insects that live in the rainforests are ants.

Birds

This toucan likes to eat fruit. (toucan image by nathalie diaz from Fotolia.com)

Rainforest species include the great hornbill, harpy eagle, hoatzin, parrot, resplendent quetzal, southern cassowary and toucan. Some rainforest birds, such as parrots, have strong beaks for cracking and eating seeds. Others, such as the harpy eagle, hunt small prey instead.